Earthen Jar: Mostly Vegan, Always Tasty

Rachel Ross  

As a starving student on a college budget, it is my duty to seek out the best food for the best price. This week, I lunched at an old favorite: Earthen Jar. This vegan Indian buffet, located on S. Fifth Street, is conveniently nestled next to the well-known Jerusalem Garden. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find due to the persistent construction happening next to the District Library, but it’s worth the search. Open for lunch and dinner, this quaint buffet offers everything from macaroni to spinach daal. When most people think of Indian food, platters like Tikka masala or butter chicken seem to spark a memory and tickle the tongue, but Earthen Jar takes a different route, serving vegetarian and vegan Indian food. I myself am a carnivore but the astonishing variety gave me no qualms about sacrificing one meatless meal. They offer classic Indian staples such as paneer (cheese), tofu with rice, and chickpeas in masala sauce. It is not difficult to find at least one course that will have you coming back for more. My personal favorite is the spinach lentils, which boasts the texture of split pea soup, but has a deeper, earthier flavor. Between the caramelized onions and the rich Indian seasoning that stains my plate yellow, it’s the perfect comfort food.

My meatless selections for the day

At a buffet, it can be difficult to manage portion sizes, yet at Earthen Jar, they charge by the pound. I find this more helpful, as I’m not looking to leave with a ten-pound food baby. While other Indian restaurants may charge eleven dollars per dish, Earthen Jar charges $5.99 per lb, which allows you to try as many dishes as you’d like. The staff is very nice as well. At first, I thought the only words the cashier could say were “thank you very much!”, but then I realized I had been complementing the food and the place the entire time, so that was all he needed to say. “We’re always looking for more fans,” he told me as he checked over the salads, while Bob Marley played in the background. I laughed. “And I’m always looking for excellent food!” Earthen Jar has certainly made my list of best eats for your money.

Buffet at Earthen Jar